Jason Spezza might not be ready to return for game action—but he's getting closer.

The Ottawa Senators' leading scorer last season skated with the team for the first time since Feb. 1 surgery on a herniated disc.

Spezza told reporters afterward that it was a "small victory today just stepping on the ice," and that he has no timeline for returning to the lineup. Even if he weren't at 100 percent—and he wouldn't be—Spezza would be a huge addition for an Ottawa team that, outstanding goaltending and puck possession aside, has struggled to consistently score goals.

Spezza had 84 points last season, fifth in the NHL. Without him, Ottawa averaged 2.33 goals per game, 27th in the league.

Ottawa won its first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens in five games and will face the top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. Spezza, who isn't sure if he'll travel to Pittsburgh for the first two games of the series, said that he was taking it "day by day" and "needed a few more skates." He'd been working out for about two weeks before the full practice.

It's in the Senators interest to keep everyone guessing—it's the playoffs. For reference, defenseman Erik Karlsson made his surprise return from an Achilles' tendon injury, he went from practicing to traveling to playing in less than a week.

Coach Paul MacLean, though, maintains that Spezza is "a long ways away." On Saturday, he said the speed of the game would be the biggest issue for Spezza.

“Don’t get me wrong: when Jason Spezza is ready to play, we want him to play,” MacLean said. “Nobody wants him back in the lineup more than the coach. But at the same time, the coach wants to make sure he’s ready and it’s not a detriment to the team when he comes back.”